The traditional owner organisations in South Gippsland are represented by two Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAP):
- Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC) – Native Title Holders, Traditional Owner Settlement agreement holders and Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP).
- Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BLCAC) Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP).
Traditional Owners for the central part of South Gippsland have not yet been formally recognised.
Information sourced from: Victoria’s current Registered Aboriginal Parties | Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council
Gunaikurnai
The Gunaikurnai people are recognised by the Federal Court and the State of Victoria as the Traditional Owners of a large area of Gippsland spanning from Warragul in the west to the Snowy River in the east, and from the Great Divide in the north to the coast in the south, approx. 10% of the state.
GLaWAC is the Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP) for the Gunaikurnai, the Traditional Owners of our Country, as determined by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act, 2006. Gunaikurnai people are made up of five major clans. The Brataualung people are in South Gippsland. The Gunaikurnai are Traditional Owners of Mirboo North, Toora, Welshpool and Port Welshpool.
Information and image sourced from: Our Story | Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation
Bunurong
Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation is a Traditional Owner organisation that represent the Bunurong people of the South-Eastern Kulin Nation. BLCAC is the Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP) for and on behalf of Bunurong People. The Bunurong People are now recognised as the Traditional Owners of their lands and waters across greater Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula, and the Bass Coast. In South Gippsland the Bunurong People are the traditional owners of Korumburra, Leongatha, Kongwak and Koonwarra.
Information and image sourced from: BUNURONG LAND COUNCIL ABORIGINAL CORPORATION – Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (bunuronglc.org)
Contacts
Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC)
Phone: (03) 5152 5100 Email: admin@glawac.com.au
Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BLCAC)
Phone: (03) 9770 1273 Email: admin@bunuronglc.org.au
Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council
Phone: (03) 7004 7198 Email: VAHC@dpc.vic.gov.au
Acknowledgement of Country
An Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners can be done by anyone. It’s a way of showing awareness of, and respect for, the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of the land where a meeting or event is held. When an event takes place in an area that has been formally recognised, you should specifically mention the traditional owners of that area. If the event takes place in an area where Traditional Owners have not yet been recognised (which is still the case for a significant part of South GIppsland), a general acknowledgment should be made instead. For more information, please visit: https://www.firstpeoplesrelations.vic.gov.au/acknowledgement-traditional-owners